In a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad on Saturday, officials decided to cancel the passports of deportees, register criminal charges against them, and bar them from obtaining new passports for five years. These deported individuals will also be added to a Passport Control List to prevent further travel abuses.
Pakistan’s federal government has announced strict new measures targeting citizens deported from abroad for illegal activities, aiming to safeguard the country’s international image.
The move comes amid growing concerns from Middle Eastern countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, about issues such as public begging and undocumented migration involving Pakistani nationals. According to Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), nearly 4,000 beggars were deported from Saudi Arabia between 2022 and 2024.
“Deportees are causing embarrassment for Pakistan at the international level,” Naqvi said. “No leniency will be shown in the future.”
To strengthen border and travel controls, the Interior Ministry has formed a committee led by the interior secretary to propose reforms for stricter passport issuance procedures.
The latest crackdown follows recent incidents where over 100 Pakistanis deported from European countries arrived in Islamabad, many involved in fraudulent or undocumented migration.
Earlier, Naqvi announced plans to stop issuing new travel documents to deportees and target travel agents involved in human smuggling networks.
These measures reflect Pakistan’s commitment to curb illegal migration, enhance border security, and improve its global standing by addressing the root causes of deportations and illegal activities abroad.